Yet another Gandhi Jayanti is here. Like every year, this year too, VVIPs will be flocking Rajghat, the final resting place of the Mahatma, and paying their mandatory floral tributes. But no one remembers the scores of men and women who worked along with Gandhi, during the freedom struggle.
Meeting with Mr.Natarajan:
Many years ago,sometime
in the late 90’s, we used to live in Central Delhi.Apparently, no one seemed to
occupy the apartment opposite ours; it wasalways found locked.But then one
evening, when I reached home after the day’s work, to my surprise, I found the
doors of the opposite apartment wide open. Out of curiosity I peeped in and
found an old gentleman bending over and arranging something. He suddenly looked
up, and then smiled at me. After exchanging a few pleasantries, I invited him
to our home for a cup of tea.
The neighbor
introduced himself as Natarajan. He said that the accommodation was allotted to
his son, a doctor by profession. His son preferred to live near the hospital,
but retained the quarters to store some of his belongings.
I learned that
Mr. Natarajan was a professional photographer, and was associated with our
freedom struggle. He took photographs of important events that were promptly
published by the national and international media, at that time. He proudly
stated that one of his photos of Gandhi adorned the walls of the Indian
parliament.
In the Shadow of the Mahatma:
Mr. Natarajan also told me that he used to follow Gandhi wherever he
went, like a shadow. The most memorable was accompanying Gandhi while he was
touring the district of Noakhali in the Chittagong Division of Bengal (now in Bangladesh) in October–November 1946, a year before India's
independence. When Gandhi was informed about the massacre
of Hindus by Muslims and the counter attacks by Hindus, he camped in Noakhali for four months and toured
the district, in a mission to restore peace and communal harmony.
According to Mr. Natarajan, Gandhi used to walk briskly
through the lanes and by-lanes of Noakhali, meeting people of both communities
and appealing for peace, disregarding his own personal safety. He tirelessly
campaigned throughout the day. Mr Natarajan was looking for a moment when he
would sit still, for taking a photograph of Gandhi. To his relief, Gandhi
finally sat under a tree and closed his eyes. That was the moment which was
immortalized by Mr. Natarajan by his famous photograph, which was widely published
in the media.
It was not possible for Mr. Natarajan to judge what kind of
thoughts were fleeting through the mind of Gandhi at that precise moment- an
extreme sadness at the turn of events or the despair in controlling the riotous
mobs, or else, the premonition of his own end coming.
Mr. Natarajan’s description
of the Mahatma in Noakhali, unafraid of the violence around him, consoling,
admonishing, commanding and pleading with the mobs touched a chord in my heart.
Gandhi became Mahatma on account of his saintly power over people.
Mr Natarajan soon came out of his memories and bid me
good-bye. However, before leaving he presented me with a black and white photo
of Gandhi reposing under a tree in Noakhali, mounted on a plastic frame. That
was the last time I saw Mr. Natarajan.
Gandhi’s Photo:
Mr. Natarajan’s photo of
Gandhi occupied the pride of place in by office chamber, and admired by all
visitors (as a poet put it “whoever had eyes would stare at thee”). But to me,
however, the photo without a quote from the Mahatma appeared incomplete. After
spending some time on it, I came across the “Seven Blunders” listed by Gandhi.
I promptly got them mounted on a good frame and hung it below the photo. They
both still remain with me in my office at home. But for Mr. Natarajan’s photo
of Gandhi, I would not have searched for that Gandhi quote.
The Seven Blunders according to Gandhi
- Wealth without Work
- Pleasure without Conscience
- Knowledge without Character
- Commerce without Morality
- Science without Humanity
- Worship without Sacrifice
- Politics without Principles
Don’t you think today they appear relevant and contemporary?
Strangely, many now think that the one who penned them is obsolete and is no
longer relevant!
A Tribute
A simple photograph of Gandhi by Mr. Natarajan had captured the mind and
the spirit of the Mahatma, and it continues to inspire people like me, whonever
met him. Mr. Natarajan was a simple and unassuming person who was deeply
involved in the nation’s freedom struggle, in his own way, not concerned about acquiring
wealth, power or personal glory. There were thousands of others like him.
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti
our tributes are not only for the Mahatma, but also for those like Mr.
Natarajan, who at considerable personal risk, portrayed leaders like Gandhi
with care and sensitivity, and, truthfully documented many important events of
those trying times, for us.
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